Ronny Spears

Originally printed in Buddy Magazine, November issue

Story and photos by Mary Jane Farmer, Scene In Town

Ronny Spears packed the house twice in the same week. The first time was when he and his musical partner Robby White played Hank’s Texas Grill Saturday night (Oct. 18), then again the following Thursday (Oct. 23). But the second time, the popular singer/songwriter was there in spirit and memory only.

Ronny Spears passed away suddenly Monday, Oct. 20, reportedly of a massive heart attack as he arrived at his regular day job. The Thursday event was a memorial, also at Hank’s in McKinney, following a true cowboy funeral service. And though so many hearts felt like they were breaking, and arms clung to each other in support, smiles, laughs, and even guffaws soared as souls remembered and described the depth of Ronny’s true character.

Mr. Spears was 50 years old, and most of those years were spent making music and making friends. One of those friends, Kelly, said, “He truly taught all those around him how to laugh and love deeply.” And that was the consensus of Thursday’s memorial gathering.

Here’s words from others who loved and respected Ronny Spears.

Sy Simmons said that he first met Spears at an open mic. He walked in and immediately Ronny made eye contact with him. “He would say, ‘You are here, let’s get you on the list.’ to everyone who came in to the open mic. I remember, too,” Simons continued, “ that in the music line of work, people get burned out over time, but Ronny didn’t. Because he made music for the right reasons.”

A.J. Blackwell, whose Ronny’s Aunt Sue brought to the stage, chose to speak in song, in a new song he wrote especially for that reason. Using lyrics like ‘honky tonk angel’ and ‘man among men and a damn good friend,” Blackwell painted a solid description of everybody’s friend.

Robby White, Ronny’s White & Spears partner and his ‘best good friend,’ said, “Ronny taught me so much. The value of a song. The value of unconditional kindness. He was larger than life. He was infectious. He lit up every room he entered. Ronny was a rock star. I loved him.”

The love of Ronny’s life was Cheryl Borden. She said, days later, “He was my best friend, my love, my cook,

Ronny and Cheryl

my fixer of everything, and my own personal entertainer. He spoiled me rotten. I was truly blessed to have him in my life and complete me! He will remain in my heart! I felt honored he chose me to spend the rest of his days on earth with!”

Spears was one of those who held Texas country music in balance. His first influence was non-Texan Johnny Cash. But, it was Ray Wylie Hubbard, who is as Texas-music as it comes, who made, through one suggestion, the suggestion that Spears truly heard. It was 1989 when Hubbard turned to him during a song-swap-type gig and told him, simply, to quit playing so many copy songs. Ronny said in earlier interviews that he took that to heart and decided to hone his songwriting talents. Hone, he did, and record he did, and the next endeavor along that line is forthcoming.

White explained that the only way anyone could ever own a Ronny Spears recording was to get it from him at any of his numerous gigs. That is changing now, White and Borden both said.

Cheryl said, “Ronny asked, during our time together, that I see to it that his music live on. Through his friends, that wish will be done.” Robby is one of those friends who are making this happen. Robby said, “One of the great injustices is the fact that Ronny’s music never made it to the digital age. In early 2015, the entire Ronny Spears catalog will be released digitally, so anyone in the world who wants Ronny Spears’ music will be able to get it.

“In that regard, Ronny Spears will live forever.”

For photos from the memorial / tribute, click here

For other Ronny Spears photos, click here

Press release: for photos of the band at Hank’s Texas Grill last Thursday, click on the link below.

The Chase Sanford Band, headquartered in Fannin County, joins Chad Sullivan & The Last Call Coalition and a bunch more Purdy Boys and Handsome Devils bands in Oklahoma to provide the best in family-friend music at this year’s annual Skyline Food Truck Festival, Saturday, Aug. 23.

The festival runs all day Saturday at the OKC Airpark in Oklahoma City, Okla. Directions and more information are available on the festival Website: SkylineFoodFest.com.

The Chase Sanford Band consists of Chase Sanford on lead vocals and guitar, Garry Moore on lead guitar and vocals, Jason Smith on bass, Sevans Henderson on keyboards, and Corbett Potter on drums. This is a Texoma/Red Dirt band in the truest sense, as its members hail from the Durant, Denison, Greenville, and Bonham areas. They are also endorsed by numerous regional companies, including Texas Select Beverages and Rolando’s Tex-Mex Grill. Their music follows true, made up of a healthy, exciting mix of covers by Texas and Oklahoma artists with their own rollickin’ and expressive originals. The band is just about ready to release its sophomore CD, exclusively of their own songs and arrangements. To top all that off, the Chase Sanford Band steadily builds its fan base, slaying audiences at each new venue and festival they play, such as this upcoming Skyline Food Truck Festival.

No matter if it’s in the recording studio or on stage, the Chase Sanford Band plays their songs and combines their honed crafts with all the enthusiasm of the moment.

In addition to The Chase Sanford Band and other live music of the day, the festival features about three dozen food trucks offering unique confections and entrees of and including BBQ, pizza, jerky, juices, chili and considerable more choices; and games and rides for children of all ages.

ChaseSanfordBand.com

For photos of the band at Hank’s Texas Grill, Aug. 14, 2014, click here.

White & Spears

There are many bands out there who dream of having as many super fans as White & Spears have. Those super fans packed Hank’s Texas Grill Friday night (7/25/14).

Robby White and Ronny Spears paired up about, oh, maybe three years ago, combined their bands, and learned each other’s songs. And took that Honky Tonk Revival on the road. What they picked up along the way were each other’s fans and a multitude more.

And the super fans are made up of folks who love true, classic, real country music as much as Ronny and Robby.

Ronny Spears

Friday night, they belted out a combination of originals between genuine, tried-and-true country such as those originally from Ray Price, Rusty Wier, lesser knowns and better knowns, and, well… you get the pic.

Robby White

Robby did one acoustic song, and for a real added treat, his wife Danielle joined them with her harmonies on a cover of “She.” On stage with Robby and Ronny also were a drummer, bass, lead guitar, and fiddle player, who they said was from Odessa.

When the musicians are having fun on stage, and belting out great sounds, it’s hard-to-impossible for the fans not to have fun too. Great time at Hank’s!

And speaking of pic, … For photos, click here

The Rye Boys

Open mics give new and upcoming musicians a chance to share their talents in front of both friends and strangers, practice their skills with a microphone and sound equipment, and get comfortable on stage. Many venues and hosts limit their musicians to certain types of music or to original songs, or some other criteria that compliments that venue. Sometimes, too, they play an open mic hoping the venue music buyer will give them an ear. It happens.

Hank’s Texas Grill has, for years, held open mic every Wednesday, and there are no limitations on what their participants can share with their audience. Some perform only original songs, others only cover songs. Some play electric guitars, others play acoustic instruments. The one thing they have in common, Wednesday after Wednesday, is that each is treated with respect and admiration for their talents.

Tyler Rogers, himself a musician, songwriter, and band member, hosts Hank’s Texas Grill open mic each Wednesday night, and keeps it casual and fun, setting the tone by opening it all with a few songs of his own.

This past Wednesday, June 25, was no exception. The clipboard at stage edge bore the names of six musicians, and so each got to perform about four songs. Two of those musicians actually play together as The Rye Boys, and so by signing up separately, they played separately and individually for a total of eight songs. These men recently moved to the Metroplex from the Texas Panhandle and offered up a unique mixture of music, swapping off on banjos, guitars, lead vocals, and harmony vocals. Melissa Ratley and Skylar Sands joined the fun for the first time, both usually playing in and around the Denton area more. Jed Harris and Jake (sorry, Jake, I forgot your last name) are fairly regular and opened and closed the nights.

Great time. Music kicks off about 8:30 to 9 p.m., depending on how many have signed up by then.

For photos, click here